How to detriple-ize my triple-boot system without hosing my beloved partition.

March 4, 2008 10:43 PM

What do I need to do to go from a triple-boot Ubuntu/Vista/XP system to only an XP system without destroying XP?

So I initially set my system up with Windows XP. Then I got Vista 64 bit and also wanted to play around with Ubuntu, so I installed them basically following the procedure outlined here: http://lifehacker.com/software/ubuntu/hack-attack-how-to-tripleboot-windows-xp-vista-and-ubuntu-193474.php

Now I find myself never using 64-bit Vista due to some compatibility issues with programs I frequently use and with no need for Ubuntu. I would like to erase the partitions for Vista and Ubuntu to reclaim the space and boot directly into my XP partition. I also want to avoid hosing my XP setup though.

SO my question is: if I erase the Vista and Ubuntu partitions, then boot into recovery on with my XP disk and use fixmbr will I have a properly booting system? If not, what do I need to do in addition to or in place of these steps?

posted by Bondrake to computers & internet (4 comments total)

I'm reasonably certain that you are correct. Delete the Ubuntu partition, delete the vista partition, run fixmbr, and be good to go.

This assumes that this is a straight GRUB bootloader, and that you didn't use the Vista/XP dual-boot method like this one. There, there's a Vista-installed loader that lets you choose between XP and Vista. If so, you may need to do something similar to the instructions on that page to get rid of the Vista bootloader as well.
posted by chrisamiller at 2:26 AM on March 5

Get partition magic, delete all other partitions, resize, fixmbr and you're good to go.
posted by PowerCat at 5:08 AM on March 5

Yes, you are correct. Have done it several times. Fixmbr is a lifesaver.
posted by katrielalex at 7:06 AM on March 5

Chris,

Thanks! That's the part that I thought might be missing. I have it installed so that GRUB has linux and vista listed. Then it goes to the vista loader where you can select vista or xp. So awesome, I will follow the steps on that page and then do a fixmbr to dump GRUB.
posted by Bondrake at 9:06 AM on March 5